John Cameron (Alberta politician)
| John Cameron | |
|---|---|
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| Alderman on the Edmonton Town Council | |
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In office February 10, 1892 – January 13, 1893 |
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In office January 14, 1895 – January 13, 1896 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 28, 1846 East Hawkesbury, Canada West |
| Died | October 6, 1919 (aged 73) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Ann McCann |
| Profession | Merchant |
| Signature |  |
John Cameron (May 28, 1846 – October 6, 1919) was a merchant and politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton. He is regarded as one of the city's pioneer citizens.
Born in Canada West (later Ontario), Cameron worked as a merchant in his birth province and Manitoba before coming to Edmonton in 1881. In Edmonton he continued as a merchant, owning and operating a store for 15 years. In Edmonton he quickly established himself as a prominent citizen, serving on the inaugural Edmonton Board of Trade as president, which he would remain for five years. Cameron also was involved in the development of the Edmonton Public School Board, serving on the board in the 1890s. He was also involved in the town's politics, winning election to Edmonton's first town council in 1892 and serving an additional term when elected in 1895. After this retirement from politics, he worked in the coal and real estate business until his death in 1919, at the age of 73. Upon his death, he was lauded as one of the pioneer citizens of Edmonton; a street, neighbourhood and ravine were named for him.
John Cameron was born at East Hawkesbury, Canada West in 1846, the son of Colin and Anna (née McLaurin) Cameron. His brother was Sir Douglas Cameron, who also went into politics, serving in the Ontario Legislature and as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. John attended school in Hawkesbury and Renfrew and in 1871 became a merchant at Vankleek Hill, with a partner in the firm Cameron & Mode General Merchants. In 1876, he went west and relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba to establish Cameron & Company general merchants, where he remained until 1881.
Cameron moved from Winnipeg to Edmonton in 1881 by ox-cart, travelling through Carlton and Battleford, bringing with him 96,000 pounds (44,000 kg) of freight on a journey that took three months. Once in Edmonton, he used this freight as the initial inventory of a store, the A. McDonald Company, where he entered into a partnership. In 1891, he would purchase the store from its original owner, A. McDonald. He moved into a new building in 1893, designed by architect William S. Edmiston and constructed by contractor Kenneth McLeod. The building, located on Jasper Avenue, included a cellar, main floor for merchandise and storage, and an upper storey, heated in its entirety by a furnace. He would operate until 1896. After the sale of the store, he entered into the real estate and coal business. In 1914, Cameron was serving as managing director and treasurer of Gainford Colleries Ltd. and as chairman of the provisional directors of the Canada Northwest Loan and Mortgage Company.
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